Opportunities for Agritech Integration in Apiculture

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Apiculture, the practice of beekeeping or bee farming, is a very ancient practice that has its historical roots to about 10,000 years ago according to Wikipedia. For some people, the memory of bees is synonymous with danger, pain and avoidance, which stems from the ability of bees to sting. 

Can bees sting? Yes, bees can sting. Their stinger, a modified ovipositor (an organ for laying eggs and also modified into a stinger), serves as a defense mechanism, especially when they feel threatened or provoked. It is also important to know that only the female bees have stings, and many other bee species cannot sting even though they possess a stinger.

But beyond its defense mechanism, bees play critical and primary roles in balancing our ecosystem and global food production through their pollination activities. It is estimated that an average percentage of 37.5% of the world’s food crops, particularly fruits, vegetables and nuts, are sustained by the activities of bees. Furthermore, the economic value of bee pollination is quite substantial, with estimates ranging from $235 to $577 billion annually. Thereby highlighting the importance of bees in enhancing global food production and systems.

Nonetheless, bee populations are in steep decline, particularly in North America. The primary causes include habitat destruction, pesticide exposure, climate change, diseases, and parasites. 

Agritech is increasingly finding strategic roots in apiculture. By playing an essential role to repopulate bees, ensure efficient operations and management of their activities, as well as, enhance their contribution to biodiversity, food production and ecosystem resilience. In addition, as a consequence of the activities of bees, other products which include honey, beeswax, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, and bee venom are derived. They have valuable uses in medicine and the cosmetic industry. Particularly, bee venom has been studied for its potential in treating some ailments like arthritis, neurological disorders, infectious diseases and cancer. 

Agritech Integration in Apiculture

The opportunities within the bee farming industry are quite enormous and are contingent upon an understanding of the process and operations of these wonderful creatures, bees. For example, honey production by bees involves these step-wise operations within the hive and it lasts approximately 45 days with specific responsibilities assigned to each bee. They include nectar collection, conversion of nectar into honey through evaporation (to reduce the moisture content of nectar in honeycomb to around 16-18%) and enzymes addition, storage and sealing of honey in honeycomb cells. 

Furthermore, bees collect pollen for feeding the larvae while propolis are collected for sealing any crack and protecting their hive from invaders. Understanding these activities serve as the basis for technology integration in apiculture.

The use of technology in apiculture involves its application to improve the efficiency, sustainability, and productivity of honeybee colonies, the beekeeping industry and its value chain. 

Technologies like hive monitoring systems, the use of drones for hive management, artificial intelligence to analyse hive data; predict colony behaviour, and optimise beekeeping practices are areas where technology is being integrated in apiculture.

Benefits of Agritech in Apiculture

Some of the benefits of integrating agritech in Apiculture include:

1. Increased Efficiency: This involves automating tasks and using data analysis to help monitor bee activities. The output from the data analysis can help make informed decisions that significantly reduce the workload, time and resources required. 
2. Improved Productivity:  Agritech’s integration optimises hive management and monitors bee health. These management operations can help beekeepers increase their honey production.
3. Enhanced Sustainability: Agritech can contribute immensely to a more sustainable apiculture industry and its value chain by helping to minimise waste. Furthermore, healthy bee colonies that are free of foreign materials and pests can be achieved more efficiently. 
4. Reduced Risks: Agritech can help to reduce the associated risks with bee farming. These may include physical hazards like bee stings, injuries from equipment and environmental conditions, as well as threats to bee health often caused by diseases, pesticides, and climate change. Furthermore, early disease detection and predictive modelling can help beekeepers minimise losses.

Technology Utilisation in Apiculture

1. Smart Hives

The internal conditions of beehives can be predicted using precision technologies that culminate in smart beehives. Smart hives provide real-time information about the hives remotely. Smart hives will minimise management costs and stressors within the colony. Some of the operations of a smart hive include:

1. Real-time monitoring:

Installed sensors and cameras embedded in beehives can help track temperature, humidity, weight, sound and bee activity. The operations of the smart hives provide beekeepers with real-time data about colony health and honey production. This assists beekeepers to track environmental conditions within the hive to optimise bee health and hive management.

2. Automation:

Some smart hives are designed to automatically adjust ventilation, temperature, and even extract honey. These provide increased efficiency in hive management.

3. Early disease detection:

Designed sensors can detect signs of disease or pest infestations, allowing beekeepers to take proactive, informed and preventive measures before the colony is adversely affected. 

Source: Libelium 

2. Drones and Remote Sensing

Drones can be used to undertake on-spot inspection and assessment of the hives from a distance. They can also monitor hive locations, and in some cases, deliver supplies or perhaps remove unwanted colonies. In addition, drones can capture aerial images and videos of apiaries, which are used to analyse the quantities of hives, identify problematic areas and track beekeeping practices. Furthermore, data collected by drones and other sensors can be used to create predictive models of bees’ activities, operations and productivity. 

3. Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence and robotics are being integrated into optimising beekeeping practices. This is achieved through a combination of real-time data collected from smart hives that can be remotely controlled to execute some instructions based on the designed programmable codes. The data are analysed to identify best practices for hive management, honey production, and colony health.

Artificial intelligence in beekeeping can analyse environmental data and climate patterns. The results of these analyses can help beekeepers predict potential shortages of nectar and pollen sources, enabling them to adjust their beekeeping management strategies accordingly. In addition, AI can monitor and analyse bees’ behaviour and disease patterns that can inform beekeepers for effective management of bee health.

Final thoughts

Agritech in the apiculture industry is providing technologies that have the potential to revolutionalise the industry. These technological tools are improving efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of bee farming. They are positively contributing to environmental sustainability and global food security.